By Martha Marteney - ReminderNews

In honor of Black History Month, Manchester Community College is hosting the art exhibit, “Present,” by two local artists, Chotsani E. Dean and Howard el-Yasin, in the Hans Weiss Newspace gallery. Dean grew up in Windsor and now lives in Hartford. Currently a resident of New Haven, el-Yasin lived in Hartford as a teen. At the opening reception on Feb. 2, the artists described their works and the connection they feel to their history.

“A lot of work that I make comes out of my communal ancestry,” said Dean, whose pieces feature ceramic tiles hung on the wall, reminiscent of quilts. She explained that quilting provided an outlet not only for creativity and resourcefulness, but as a way to communicate through the symbols used in the quilts. This was especially important during the antebellum period, when many plantation mistresses taught the women slaves how to quilt. Dean noted that the women sometimes also learned to read and write, which was prohibited, but the men did not pay attention to the women during their quilting bees.

“I’m particularly honored to be part of show for Black History Month,” said el-Yasin, even through he said he does not consider himself as an Afro-American artist. Rather, he likes his forms to give a connection to history both through the discarded materials he uses and through his work process, which often involves, for example, adding color and taking it away. “Things are built up, changed, erased,” he said, much like each person’s individual history.

According to MCC professor Susan Classen-Sullivan, Dean and el-Yasin were selected for this exhibit because they are both important, contemporary artists. She also felt there would be a good conversation between Dean’s and el-Yasin’s pieces, a sentiment with which both artists agreed.

This is the first exhibit specifically for Black History Month, which was first suggested by Dean of Student Affairs G. Duncan Harris more than a year ago, but took some time to coordinate into the exhibit schedule. Harris said he felt is would be important for African-American students to see they can succeed in the arts, “to see that dream become a reality,” he said.

Referring to the multitude of Dean’s ceramic tiles that make up the “quilt” installations, Melissa Steward, an MCC social services student, said, “Her pieces are talking to me.” Steward was looking for inspiration for a Drawing II project that requires her to draw the same subject 50 times.

During el-Yasin’s opening remarks, MCC adjunct professor Anthony Billard observed el-Yasin’s “Verboten” (“Forbidden,” in German), saying, “I was having a dialogue with ‘Verboten’ of the entrapment and cage-like structure.” The hanging piece is made of twigs, twine, nails and hair. According to el-Yasin, that form reminds him that in Africa, the woods is a place where people are forced out into.

“I really like the tiles,” said Linda Bradley, who teaches Drawing I at MCC. “I usually work in black and white, so I admire people who work in color.” She also appreciated the apparent simplicity and spontaneity of the installation. Dean explained that the installations change each time the tiles are hung.

We Wilmoth’s favorite piece was el-Yasin’s “Layer Weight #1,” which features the layers of paint built up and removed. “There’s so many things you can see in it,” said Wilmoth, an MCC general studies student.